sgfafandomcom-20200214-history
Kane O'Bray
| cityofbirth = Bonneville | countryofbirth = St. Gregory | dateofdeath = | cityofdeath = | countryofdeath = | height = | position = Forward | currentclub = | clubnumber = | youthyears = 1994-1998 | youthclubs = Bonneville United | years = 1998-2000 2000-2012 2012-2017 2017 2018 2018 2018-2019 | clubs = Bonneville Juniors Bonneville United FC Chapman SoBo Kingz Los Angeles FC LA Galaxy Bonneville United | caps(goals) = | nationalyears = 2002-2018 | nationalteam = St. Gregory | nationalcaps(goals) = | manageryears = | managerclubs = }}Kane Michael O'Bray (born June 20, 1982) is a Gregorian former professional footballer who played as a striker. He is best known for his time at Bonneville United, where he came through their youth academy and played 12 professional seasons. He also played five seasons for United's archrivals FC Chapman, winning back-to-back league and cup doubles in 2013-14 and 2014-15. He also formerly represented the St. Gregory national team, being part of the squad's historic first appearance at the FIFA World Cup. A nine-time League A champion, winner of four SGFA Cups and named to six SGFA All-Star teams, O'Bray is widely considered to be one of the best players from St. Gregory in the modern era, and among the greatest to have ever played in the country. He finished his career second in League A career goalscoring behind Jarrod Shannon and, along with Shannon, is one of only two players to score 200 goals in League A. Early life O'Bray was born in South Bonneville, at the time one of the city's poorest and most crime-ridden areas. His father, an Afro-Caribbean, worked at the Port of Bonneville, while his mother, who is biracial, raised their five children of which Kane is the oldest. At age 8, O'Bray first showed an interest in football and began playing in Bonneville's youth club league. By age 12, he was showing signs of his potential and was scouted by both the city's professional clubs, Bonneville United and New Castle, who both invited him to join their respective academies. Club career Bonneville Juniors At age 12, O'Bray's mother approved an offer for him to join the Bonneville United Academy. He would spend the next 6 years in the Academy, moving through the various youth levels before finally making the senior reserve team during the 1997-98 season, when he was just 15. In 1998, the Academy was spun off from the senior club and became its own team, Bonneville Juniors, for whom O'Bray would make his professional debut as a 16 year-old during the 1998-99 season. He scored his first two goals for Juniors on January 9, 1999, in a 4-0 home win over Carlisle. Bonneville United In the summer of 2000, O'Bray returned to Bonneville United as a senior player, joining an already formidable forward lineup of Jan van Amstel, Steve Stratton, John Jay Karne and Greg Holloway. O'Bray made 10 appearances for United during the 2000-01 League A season, helping the club to finish 2nd in League A. O'Bray's breakout season came in 2001-02. With Stratton retiring in the summer and van Amstel returning to the Netherlands, O'Bray anchored the strike force alongside Karne and Holloway, and benefited from the new role. He scored 18 goals across all competitions as United went undefeated en route to a league and cup double. O'Bray's contract at United expired at the end of 2011-12 – a season in which O'Bray won his sixth League A title with the club – and despite several attempts to negotiate an extension, O'Bray announced on Twitter on July 2, 2012 that he would likely not be back with the club, saying: "Thanks from bottom of my <3 to #BUFC fans for 12 amazing yrs. Hurts to go but time 2 see where journey takes me. #DarkBlue4Life" Rumors concerning O'Bray's future were abundant, with several reports linking him to Major League Soccer and multiple clubs in Europe. FC Chapman On September 17, 2012, the Chapman Star reported that O'Bray had reached a deal to sign with United's arch-rivals, FC Chapman. O'Bray made the signing official two days later when he tweeted a picture of himself holding up an FC Chapman jersey with the caption: "Time to fly. #FCC" The caption was a reference to the club's nickname, the Golden Eagles. The move was controversial as players rarely move between the two rival clubs. Several media outlets criticized O'Bray for turning his back on his former club, along with new Chapman manager Matthew Frame, who orchestrated the signing in his first few months in charge of the club. When Chapman visited Ford Stadium to play United on December 15, 2012 – O'Bray's first match against his former club – he was booed loudly by the home fans when his name was announced and whenever he touched the ball. The match, dubbed the Battle of Bonneville after a second-half brawl between the two sides, finished in a 0-0 draw. O'Bray led League A in goalscoring in 2013-14, scoring 24 goals in league play and helping Chapman to win the league and SGFA Cup double. O'Bray was named League A Player of the Year and named to the SGFA All-Stars squad. 2015-16 season After being held off the score sheet for the first two games of the 2015-16 League A season, O'Bray opened his account in dramatic fashion with a last-minute headed equalizer at Rivergate that gave Chapman a share of the points in a 1-1 draw. He then went on to score in the next two matches as well, helping the Golden Eagles to victories over Winston Beach and Helena United. His next three goals in league play were all scored from the penalty spot and helped his side to wins each time. O'Bray entered the final match of the 2015 calendar year on December 26 against Little Rouge trailing Jimmy Bennamani by one goal for the League A goalscoring lead. That night, he recorded a hat-trick to propel Chapman to a 4-0 win and give him 10 goals at the turn of the calendar year, overtaking Bennamani as the league's leading goalscorer. In the penultimate match of the season, on May 14, 2016, O'Bray scored in a 3-1 home win over his former club, Bonneville United. It was O'Bray's first league goal against United. Seven minutes after his goal, however, he hit the crossbar on a penalty that would have given him a second. The goal would also prove to be his last of the season as he was kept off the score sheet in the season finale against Forest United, which allowed Matevos Darbinian (with whom O'Bray was tied on 22 goals entering the final match) to pass him and deny O'Bray a third consecutive goalscoring title. 2016-17 season O'Bray recorded his 200th League A goal on April 30, 2017, scoring the decisive goal in the 54th minute of a 1-0 home win over Manorham. On May 13, he scored his 201st and final League A goal in a 3-1 home win over Helena Point Rangers and played his final game seven days later, as Chapman won their 2016-17 season finale 1-0 away at Banks City (but were denied the league title by Independence). After 2016-17 On January 16, 2017, O'Bray wrote a post on his Facebook page announcing that he would leave FC Chapman when his contract expires at the end of the 2016-17 League A season. He will join MLS expansion franchise Los Angeles FC in time for their debut in 2018 and will play for Bonneville-based Amateur Leagues club SoBo Kingz, for the first half of 2017-18. O'Bray is a majority owner of the Kingz (see below). Los Angeles FC/LA Galaxy O'Bray officially joined Los Angeles FC on January 1, 2018. However, before a ball had been kicked in the 2018 season, LAFC traded O'Bray to the city's other MLS franchise, the Galaxy, on January 29. In return, LAFC received $300,000 in allocation money. O'Bray scored five goals in 18 appearances for the Galaxy in 2018. The team were eliminated from the playoffs with a final day home defeat to Houston Dynamo, and O'Bray became a free agent on November 1. Return to Bonneville United On November 16, 2018, O'Bray signed a partial-season contract to return to Bonneville United, the club where his career began. He will train with the squad until United's international players return from their national team duties. O'Bray initially intended to wear the number 98 upon his return, as his previous number (10) was taken by Diego Alvarado. O'Bray refused to make another player give up the number, however Alvarado insisted and switched to number 22. In return, O'Bray promised Alvarado the number at the conclusion of the 2018-19 League A season. O'Bray's first appearance for United following his return came in the second half of a 2-0 win over Cape Wells Wanderers on Thursday, November 22. Coming on as a substitute for Andrés Guzmán, O'Bray received a standing ovation from the Ford Stadium crowd that lasted for over three minutes and added extra stoppage time to the end of the match. Retirement The 2019 SGFA Cup Final against New Castle, in which he came on as a late substitute for Chase Morton, would be O'Bray's last appearance for United, as he retired at season's end having hoisted his fourth SGFA Cup trophy. Following his retirement, O'Bray and longtime friend and teammate Greg Holloway were given a joint testimonial match by Bonneville United at Ford Stadium, which was held on August 24, 2019. During his introduction, O'Bray took off his warmup jacket to reveal an LA Galaxy jersey, under which was his FC Chapman jersey. Revealing both of these shirts drew mock jeers from the crowd, before O'Bray finally removed the Chapman shirt to reveal his United shirt, which was met by laughter and applause. O'Bray's team (Kano's Krew) were defeated 5-4 by Holloway's team (The Hit Squad, a reference to Holloway's former nickname, "Hitman"). International career In November 2017, O'Bray announced that he intended to represent St. Gregory at the 2018 FIFA World Cup, after which he will retire from international competition. He was named to the 23-man squad for the World Cup on June 2, 2018, and went on to appear in all three group games, although he did not score a goal. Upon his return to St. Gregory after the team's exit from the tournament, O'Bray retired from international football. Personal life O'Bray has maintained his house in Bonneville since his playing days at United; he spent summers there during his time with FC Chapman. He identifies as a member of the Jamagorian community. In 2005, O'Bray described his decision to want to play professional football as, "something that could get me and my family out of the place we grew up ... it was a way I could make something of myself and not go down the path of drugs and violence like so many kids in my community." He is heavily involved with rehabilitation and education programs for teenagers and young adults in Bonneville affected by drug use and gang life. O'Bray has made numerous contributions to various projects in Bonneville aimed at rejuvenating the city and providing for the community, particularly in the south and central areas where poverty and crime are the highest. In 2010, he funded the construction of the Kane O'Bray Recreation center with an indoor football field and basketball court in South Bonneville. In 2011, he co-founded the amateur club SoBo Kingz who, upon entry to the SGFA Amateur Leagues became the first ever club to represent South Bonneville. He grew up with members of the Bonneville reggae/hip-hop group L Street and appeared in the music video for their 2009 song "Vacation". Category:Player pages Category:Bonneville United F.C. players Category:FC Chapman players Category:Bonneville Juniors F.C. players Category:St. Gregory national team players Category:St. Gregory national youth team players Category:SGFA All-Stars players Category:SoBo Kingz F.C. Category:SoBo Kingz F.C. players Category:Retired players Category:People from Bonneville